Kaiser
Well-Known Member
Hi there,
I'm now done with brewing my SNPA clone and a Maerzen. These were the first 2 brews where I reused yeast that I had keept from previous batches.
When I make starters, I keep aerating them as good as I can (oxygen, frequent swirling, since I don't have a stir plate yet). This results in a starter liquid that I don't want to get into my wort. At the Maltose Falcon's I found this interesting article about decanting a starter: http://www.maltosefalcons.com/tech/yeast_settling/
I used this method with both my starters. As expected it worked very well with the ale yeast. When a fridge temps, the yeast just stops metabolizing and sinks to the bottom. I got nice 1/4in yeast sediment at the bottom with almost clear liquid on top, which I decanted before suspending the yeast with some wort.
Well, it didn't work so well for the lager yeast. Even in the fridge at 40F, not many of them settled. And putting the growler into an ice bath didn't really help it either. Luckily I got some sediment that I was able to pitch.
I like the idea of settling out the yeast at high krausen since this will minimize the osmotic shock when pitched and the yeast is at its freshest. But for lager yeast I will have to make lower gravity starters and have the yeast ferment it out. Short of a centrifuge, this seems to be the only option.
What are you guys doing?
I'm now done with brewing my SNPA clone and a Maerzen. These were the first 2 brews where I reused yeast that I had keept from previous batches.
When I make starters, I keep aerating them as good as I can (oxygen, frequent swirling, since I don't have a stir plate yet). This results in a starter liquid that I don't want to get into my wort. At the Maltose Falcon's I found this interesting article about decanting a starter: http://www.maltosefalcons.com/tech/yeast_settling/
I used this method with both my starters. As expected it worked very well with the ale yeast. When a fridge temps, the yeast just stops metabolizing and sinks to the bottom. I got nice 1/4in yeast sediment at the bottom with almost clear liquid on top, which I decanted before suspending the yeast with some wort.
Well, it didn't work so well for the lager yeast. Even in the fridge at 40F, not many of them settled. And putting the growler into an ice bath didn't really help it either. Luckily I got some sediment that I was able to pitch.
I like the idea of settling out the yeast at high krausen since this will minimize the osmotic shock when pitched and the yeast is at its freshest. But for lager yeast I will have to make lower gravity starters and have the yeast ferment it out. Short of a centrifuge, this seems to be the only option.
What are you guys doing?